Update: I was unfortunately not aware of Shamus Young's severe criticism of Fallout 3 available here to link in the original piece and I regret that. It dovetails rather nicely with what I've written and it's much better executed than my piece. I strongly recommend anyone...

Pacific Storm: Allies Screenshots

With Pacific Storm being a huge success all around the world, Buka Entertainment is working under the first official expansion of this unique title blending RTS and Action elements. Pacific Storm: Allies offers completely new experiences for those who played and liked Pacific Storm and the most intense hours of gameplay for those who didn't play the original game.

Playing either for the United States, Imperial Japan, or a new playable nation - the UK, you walk through a dramatic sequence of large-scale naval and air military operations. The perfect mix of genres remains on this standalone better than ever. Develop weaponry and technologies to improve your units, move your fleet and deploy it in the battlefield and send them to the combat as a general or become a pilot and control one of the planes or ships directly! Enjoy the exceptional depth and scale of the strategic mode, superior authenticity of the tactical mode and exciting dynamics of the simulator.

New units to construct, new historical locations to visit, diplomatic system that allows you to form alliances and a brand new version of the engine that brings better graphics than ever... The improved multiplayer system will push the experience of playing with people over internet or under the same local net to the top of the realism. Every scenario, map, and element has been created based on historical archives. Those who love the history will find in this game the most effective way to enjoy with it!

Key features:

Besides Japan and USA, Pacific Storm: Allies brings in new allies and axis nations for each side (Germany for Japan, the UK and the Netherlands, and the USSR for the USA). One will need to cooperate with those new nations war and diplomatically wise.

The add-on implements hit location system, which realistically shows the damage dealt to ships, aircrafts, different devices installed on those ships and aircrafts, and how units are being destroyed. The level of damage will now directly influence on how units function.

Diplomacy has also been added to the game; with its help one can arrange a joint nations operation or trade technologies and units;

Long range ground, water and air based ballistic and cruise missiles now could be launched on strategic level.

New mod system allows to create different modifications of the game: add new units, change units' skins, create new maps, missions and even new special effects. One can change balance and visual look of the game. Numerous new technological upgrades will give users more freedom in creating different weaponry and units' modifications.

New direct ship controlling mode (3d person view) allows the player to control the movement of his ships and its weapons (major and minor caliber, air defense turrets, torpedoes); and possibility to control aircrafts with a mouse and an enhanced list of supported joysticks;